End-of-year Holiday hours
All of our offices and libraries and dog pounds will be closed midday Friday 22 December 2023 and re-open Monday 8 January 2024.
You can call us 24 hours a day, seven days a week on, 0800 492 452, with any urgent queries.
Animal Control Officers will be on call over this period.
The dog pound is where dogs are housed before being returned to their owner or rehomed. Once a dog is impounded, every attempt is made to contact their owner.
To have your dog released from the pound you will need to pay impounding fees to cover our costs of picking up and caring for your dog.
For pricing information including impoundment costs, please refer to our fees and charges.
Pound locations
Ngaaruawaahia Pound
Opening hours: 3pm - 4pm Monday to Friday (not open on public holidays).
Address: 16 Brownlee Avenue, Ngaaruawaahia.
Pukekohe Pound
Opening hours: 3pm - 4pm Monday to Friday (not open on weekends or public holidays).
Address: 15 Austen Place, Pukekohe
The pounds do not take payments such as dog registration, infringement fines and impound fees - these must be paid at a Waikato District Council Office.
Unfortunately you cannot contact the pound facilities directly, however, you can phone us on 07 824 8633 or 0800 492 452 to help or we can connect you with our Animal Control Team who administer both pound locations.
Contact your nearest council office
Has your dog been impounded?
Animal Control officers have the right to seize and impound any wandering dog. The dog owner must pay the impounding costs before a dog can be released.
Dogs that are unclaimed after seven days become the property of Waikato District Council and can be adopted out or put down.
For pricing information including impoundment costs, please refer to our fees and charges.
Aggressive dogs
See below for a step-by-step process from what happens once a report of an aggressive dog is received, through to the release of the dog from our pound or prosecution.
Having trouble paying?
We want to work with to get your dog home. If you are having trouble paying the fees, please contact your nearest Waikato District Council Office to discuss your options.